CWV History

In 1935 Father Edward J. Higgins held a meeting with a few parishioners from his parish, the Church of the Immaculate Conception in New York, who had served in World War I. This became the first Post of the Catholic War Veterans (CWV) On May 19, 1935, the Catholic War Veterans of the United States of America was incorporated under the laws of the State of New York. In May 1935 Higgins met with Pope Pius XI, who bestowed his blessing on the organization. When our founder Fr. Edward J. Higgins (pictured left) of Astoria, New York, decided to form the first Post of the CWV his first order for the organization was to actively support the good and welfare of our nation.

Secondly, as a WWI veteran, he wanted to ensure that the primary focus of our efforts was to put into action the famous words of President Abraham Lincoln, "To care for those who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan."

Today, the CWV keeps faith with this mandate of our founder by providing the services of our national and local area Veterans Service Officers free of charge to those members and other veterans who request professional assistance in preparing and defending their claims for federal veterans benefits.

We work to protect veteran's entitlements through diligent efforts on Capitol Hill and with your local State legislators, We provide expert testimony before both Houses of Congress on behalf of Veterans,

We assist in the processing of the Department of Veterans Affairs Claims and when needed, in the appeals process,

We visit and comfort veterans hospitalized in the Department of Veterans Affairs nationwide system of health care, We provide services to State Veterans' Homes,

We are involved in many programs including Americanism programs, Catholic Action Programs, Youth Programs, Scholarship Programs, and Members' Insurance Programs.﻿﻿

Contact us for assistance and for more information about membership. Active Military and veterans are welcomed.

For over 75 years the Catholic War Veterans and Auxiliary have been actively engaged in supporting our nation's military veterans and promoting their welfare. We continue to march on the cultural frontlines defending traditional Americanism against the many other "isms"that seek to undermine and harm our Constitutionally defined Democratic Republic. We are more than "just another charitable organization".

We are active in our communities, churches and our schools.

We are there: to assist our veterans, as well as our active service men and women.

We are there: in the VA Hospitals, working with, visiting and entertaining our wounded veterans.

We are there: working with schooAbout CWVl children, assisting in food pantries, and volunteering in various ministries within the Catholic Church.

We are the Catholic War Veterans & Auxiliary!

Come join us

We need YOU to be there with us!

We, American Citizens, members of the Catholic Church, under the spiritual authority of our Holy Father the Pope, Bishop of Rome, and who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States in order that we may be bound by a greaterspirit of faith and patriotism, and that we may be of greater service to God and our County and to one another, and in order to perpetuate our ideas, establish a permanent organization.﻿